Published in Overland Issue Print Issue 198 Autumn 2010 Main Posts / Writing A souqi Maysoon Elnigoumi As I listen to you In a common peculiar mood Something within wants to kill you Hunt down gazelles galloping from your eyes I say and I am wise These are not days for gazelles Or is it a dark mind? Damp, dense And what is poetry? Trash And a bit of rhyme And the hidden symbols of a poem Are nothing but mice traps With cheap cheese, Or is it a dense mind? Damp, dark How did I come to this my love? Vile! Vile! All forbidden! Something within wants to kill you And all gazelles galloping from your eyes My love she of stinking feet Dipped her toes into my waters And all fish rose to the surface Yet there is tenderness within Had I died before I wrote poetry And all this trash How did I come to this my love? Come! Maysoon Elnigoumi Maysoon Elnigoumi lives in Sydney and writes poetry and articles on literature, music and arts, some of which have appeared in Sudanese newspapers. More by Maysoon Elnigoumi Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays First published in Overland Issue 228 11 November 202211 November 2022 Main Posts On the last day of Subscriberthon, our amazing online editor gives you one last (very good) reason to subscribe Editorial team What's in store for the last day of Subscriberthon? First published in Overland Issue 228 10 November 202210 November 2022 Main Posts On the second-last day of Subscriberthon, our favourite editor-duo give you reason #1002 to subscribe to Overland Editorial team What's in store for the second-last day of Subscriberthon?